Corporate Governance

The sections below set out the ways in which the Group applies the ten principles of the QCA Code in support of the Group’s medium to long-term success.

1. Establish a strategy and business model which promote long-term value for shareholders

The principal objective of the Group is to market and sell promotional and retail space on behalf of our clients throughout the territories in which we operate.

The strategy, objectives and business model of the Group are developed by the executive directors and the senior management team, and then approved by the Board. The management team, led by the Chief Executive Officer, is responsible for implementing the strategy and managing the business at an operational level.

The Group has a diverse portfolio of shopping centre, railway station and retail park clients. The Group continuously looks for new clients and potential revenue streams to help grow and diversify the business and deliver sustainable growth in value for shareholders.

The Group diversifies its risk by having a number of clients in different territories, none of which on their own would put the viability of the business at risk should they terminate the relationship.

2. Seek to understand and meet shareholder needs and expectations

The Group seeks to maintain a regular dialogue with both existing and potential shareholders in order to communicate the Group’s strategy and progress and to understand the needs and expectations of shareholders.

Beyond the Annual General Meeting, the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and, where appropriate, other members of the senior management team meet regularly with investors and analysts to provide them with updates on the Group’s business and to obtain feedback regarding the market’s expectations of the Group.

The Group’s investor relations activities encompass dialogue with both institutional and private investors.

The Company also endeavours to maintain a dialogue and keep shareholders informed through its public announcements and Company website. SpaceandPeople’s website provides not only information specifically relevant to investors (such as the Group’s annual report and accounts and investor presentations) but also regarding the nature of the business itself with considerable detail regarding the services it provides and the manner in which it carries on it business.

The Annual General Meeting of the Company, normally attended by all Directors, provides the Directors the opportunity to report to shareholders on current and proposed operations and developments, and also enables shareholders to express their views of the Group’s business activities. Shareholders are encouraged to attend and are invited to ask questions during the meeting and to meet with the Directors after the formal proceedings have ended.

3. Take into account wider stakeholder and social responsibilities and their implications for long-term success

The Group is aware of its corporate social responsibilities and the need to maintain effective working relationships across a range of stakeholder groups. These include the Group’s employees, clients and suppliers. The Group’s operations and working methodologies take account of the need to balance the needs of all of these stakeholder groups while maintaining focus on the Board’s primary responsibility to promote the success of the Group for the benefit of its members as a whole. The Group endeavours to take account of feedback received from stakeholders, making amendments to working arrangements and operational plans where appropriate and where such amendments are is consistent with the Group’s longer term strategy.

The Group takes due account of any impact that its activities may have on the environment and seeks to minimise this impact wherever possible. Through the various procedures and systems it operates, the Group ensures full compliance with health and safety and environmental legislation relevant to its activities and is ISO 9001, 14001 & 45001 certified.

4. Embed effective risk management, considering both opportunities and threats, throughout the organisation

The Board is responsible for the systems of risk management and internal control and for reviewing their effectiveness. The internal controls are designed to manage rather than eliminate risk and provide reasonable but not absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss. Through the activities of the Audit Committee, the effectiveness of these internal controls is reviewed annually.

A summary of the principal risks and uncertainties facing the Group, as well as mitigating actions, are set out on pages 8 to 10 of the Group’s 2023 Annual Report.

A comprehensive budgeting process is completed once a year and is reviewed and approved by the Board. This budget is revised twice throughout the year and performance against the budget and forecasts is reviewed by the management team on a monthly basis and by the Board at each Board meeting.

The Group maintains appropriate insurance cover in respect of actions taken against the Directors because of their roles, as well as against material loss or claims against the Group. The insured values and type of cover are comprehensively reviewed on a periodic basis.

5. Maintain the Board as a well-functioning, balanced team led by the Chair

SpaceandPeople’s Board currently comprises 3 Executive Directors and 3 Non-executive Directors, including a Non-executive Chair who is responsible for leadership by the Board and ensuring all aspects of its role.

All of the Directors are subject to election by shareholders at the first Annual General Meeting after their appointment to the Board and will continue to seek re-election at least once every three years.

Directors’ biographies are set out here.

The Board is responsible to the shareholders for the proper management of the Group and meets at least eight times a year to set the overall direction and strategy of the Group and to review operational and financial performance. All key operational and investment decisions are subject to Board approval.

A summary of Board and Committee meetings held in the year ended 31 December 2023, and Directors’ attendance records, is set out in the Group’s 2023 Annual Report.

The Board considers itself to be sufficiently independent and adheres to the QCA Code recommendation that a Board should have at least two independent Non-executive Directors. All of the Non-executive Directors who currently sit on the Board of the Company are regarded as independent under the QCA Code’s guidance for determining such independence.

6. Ensure that between them, the directors have the necessary up-to-date experience, skills and capabilities

The Board considers that all of the Non-executive Directors are of sufficient competence and calibre to add strength and objectivity to its activities and bring considerable experience in experiential marketing and retail companies.

The Board regularly reviews the composition of the Board to ensure that it has the necessary breadth and depth of skills to support the ongoing development of the Group.

The Chair, in conjunction with the Company Secretary, ensures that the Directors’ knowledge is kept up to date on key issues and developments pertaining to the Group, its operational environment and to the Directors’ responsibilities as members of the Board. During the course of the year, Directors received updates from the Company Secretary and various external advisers on a number of corporate governance matters.

Directors’ service contracts or appointment letters and the terms of reference of the sub-committees of the Board make provision for a Director to seek personal advice in furtherance of his or her duties and responsibilities.

7. Evaluate Board performance based on clear and relevant objectives, seeking continuous improvement

The Group’s Directors are evaluated each year by way of peer appraisal. The appraisal seeks to determine the effectiveness and performance of each member with regards to their specific roles as well as their role as a Board member in general.

The appraisal system seeks to identify areas of concern and make recommendations for any training or development to enable the Board member to meet their objectives which will be set for the following year. The appraisal process will also review the progress made against prior year targets to ensure any identified skill gaps are addressed.

Whilst the Board considers this evaluation process is currently best carried out internally, the Board will keep this under review and may consider independent external evaluation reviews in the future.

As well as the appraisal process, the Board monitor the Non-executive Directors’ status as independent to ensure a suitable balance of independent Non-executive and Executive Directors remains in place.

The Board may utilise the results of the evaluation process when considering the adequacy of the composition of the Board and for succession planning. Succession planning is formally considered by the Board on an annual basis, in conjunction with the appraisal process.

8. Promote a corporate culture that is based on ethical values and behaviours

The Board seeks to maintain the highest standards of integrity and probity in the conduct of the Group’s operations. These values are enshrined in the written policies and working practices adopted by all employees in the Group. An open culture is encouraged within the Group, with regular communications to staff regarding progress and staff feedback regularly sought. Senior management regularly monitors the Group’s cultural environment and seeks to address any concerns than may arise, escalating these to Board level as necessary.

The Group is committed to providing a safe environment for its staff and all other parties for which the Group has a legal or moral responsibility in this area. The Group has a Health and Safety policy which is enforced rigorously.

9. Maintain governance structures and processes that are fit for purpose and support good decision-making by the Board

The Board has overall responsibility for promoting the success of the Group. The Executive Directors have day-to-day responsibility for the operational management of the Group’s activities. The Non-executive Directors are responsible for bringing independent and objective judgment to Board decisions.

There is a clear separation of the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Non-executive Chair. The Chair is responsible for overseeing the running of the Board, ensuring that no individual or group dominates the Board’s decision-making and ensuring the Non-executive Directors are properly briefed on matters. The Chair has overall responsibility for corporate governance matters of the Group. The Chief Executive Officer has overall responsibility for implementing the strategy of the Board and managing the day-to-day business activities of the Group. The Company Secretary is responsible for ensuring that Board procedures are followed and applicable rules and regulations are complied with.

The Board has established an Audit Committee and a Remuneration Committee with formally delegated duties and responsibilities. Mr George Watt chairs the Audit Committee and temporarily chairs the Remuneration Committee. The Group considers that, at this stage of its development and given the current size of its Board, it is not necessary to establish a formal Nominations Committee. Instead, appointments to the Board are made by the Board as a whole. This position however, is reviewed on a regular basis by the Board.

The Audit Committee normally meets twice a year and at other times if necessary and has responsibility for, amongst other things, planning and reviewing the annual report and accounts and interim statements involving, where appropriate, the external auditors. The Committee also approves external auditors’ fees and ensures the auditors’ independence as well as focusing on compliance with legal requirements and accounting standards. It is also responsible for ensuring that an effective system of internal control is maintained. The ultimate responsibility for reviewing and approving the annual financial statements and interim statements remains with the Board. The Company’s external auditors are invited to attend meetings of the Committee on a regular basis.

The Remuneration Committee, which meets as required, but at least once a year, has responsibility for making recommendations to the Board on the compensation of senior executives and determining, within agreed terms of reference, the specific remuneration packages for each of the Executive Directors. It also supervises the Company’s share incentive schemes and sets performance conditions for share options granted under the schemes.

The Remuneration Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 is set out on pages 21 and 22 of the Group’s 2023 Annual Report.

The Directors believe that the above disclosures constitute sufficient disclosure to meet the QCA Code’s requirement for a Remuneration Committee Report. Consequently, a separate Remuneration Committee Report is not presented in the Group’s Annual Report.

10. Communicate how the Group is governed and is performing by maintaining a dialogue with shareholders and other relevant stakeholders

The Group places a high priority on regular communications with its various stakeholder groups and aims to ensure that all communications concerning the Group’s activities are clear, fair and accurate. The Group’s website is regularly updated and announcements or details of presentations and events are posted onto the website.

The Group’s financial reports can be found here.

The results of voting on all resolutions in future general meetings will be posted to the Group’s website, including any actions to be taken as a result of resolutions for which votes against have been received from at least 20 per cent of independent shareholders.

Last updated on 13 May 2024.